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BackYears

BackYears is an independent referral service. We are not a CPA firm, tax preparer, or law firm, and we are not affiliated with the IRS or any government agency. Tax services are provided by independent licensed professionals.

Common situations

Everyone's story is different, but a few come up again and again. Find the one closest to yours.

  • Unfiled 1099 income

    Freelance or contract work with no taxes taken out, and a few years unfiled? Here's how people usually get caught up, in plain English.

  • Got an IRS letter about unfiled returns?

    A letter about an unfiled return is stressful. Here's how to read it calmly, where to look up the code, and why the dates on it matter.

  • Unfiled taxes with crypto

    Bought, sold or got paid in crypto during the years you didn't file? Here's what to gather and where the IRS explains digital assets.

  • Gig and app workers with a 1099-K

    Drove, delivered or sold through apps and stopped filing? Here's what a 1099-K is, what records help, and how people usually catch up.

  • Self-employed with missing records

    Lost receipts, old bank accounts, no idea what you earned? Missing records are common when catching up. Here's where people usually start.

  • Worried you'll owe and can't pay?

    Fear of a big bill keeps many people from filing. Here's what the IRS says about filing when you can't pay in full, and its payment options.

Not sure which one fits?

Most people fit more than one. Answer these in order and start with the first yes.

  1. Were you paid as a freelancer or contractor, with no tax taken out? Unfiled 1099 income
  2. Did you drive, deliver or sell through apps or marketplaces? Gig and app workers with a 1099-K
  3. Is there a letter from the IRS on the table? Got an IRS letter about unfiled returns?
  4. Did you buy, sell or get paid in crypto in those years? Unfiled taxes with crypto
  5. Are your receipts and statements patchy or gone? Self-employed with missing records
  6. Is the bill the thing you're most afraid of? Worried you'll owe and can't pay?

What every situation has in common

The path out looks much the same each time: work out which years are missing, gather what records you can, fill the gaps with IRS transcripts, then have each year prepared on that year's forms. The order to file in and what to do about any letter are questions for a licensed tax pro.

The guides cover the steps that apply to everyone, starting with what to do when you haven't filed in years and the records a tax pro will ask for.